Spark indicator



Patented Feb. 19, 1924.

UNITED stares insane LEONARD ZIEGLER, or NUTLEY,1\TEW JERSEY.

- SPARK IHD ICATOR.

Application'filedg December 21', 1921. Serial No. 523,909. I

useful Improvements in Spark Indicators, I

of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to an improved spark indicator for internalcombustion en- 1 inner side is a metallic switch plate 19 provided, asbest shown in Figure 3, with a semi-circular opening 20 and securing thegines and seeks, as one of its'principal objects, to provide a deviceparticularly adapted for use in connection' with motor vehicles andwherein the spark plugs of the engine of a vehicle may be tested whilethe vehicle 'ries a second'bolt 22 projecting at'its inner is in motion.

i A further object of the invention is to an enginemay be tested underworking conditions of the engine.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a devicewhich will be neat and attractive in'appearanceand may be readilyinstalled upon motor vehicles of substantially any conventional design.

Other and incidental objects 'will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my im proved indicator, I

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 4:, looking in thedirection of the p 1 cularly disposed series of bolts 28 and proarrows,A V p Figure 3 is'a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows, I r

Figure 4; is a section on the line 4+4: of Figure 2, looking inthedirection ofthe arrows,- I 1 Figure 5 is a rear elevation of thedevice, and V p I v t Figure 6 is a sectional view showing an improvedspark plug employed in conjunction with the indicator. f

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that Iemploy a cylindricalcasing 10 having a forward end wall 11 and bentadjacent-its outer end to provide a stop flange 12. Seated in theforward end of the casing to abut the end-wall 11 is a front block 13from which extends a centrally disposed annular flange 14 projectingfrom the front face 'of the block through the end wall of the casing. Asparticularly shown in Figure 1, the front block is secured; to said endwall by fastening devices provide a device wherein the spark plugs of T15 and mounted in the casing at its inner end is a back block 16 securedin position by fastening devices 17. The front and back 'blocks 13 and16 are of porcelain or other 'apprOVedinsuIating material and fittingwithin the casing between said blocks is a spacing ring 18 which is alsopreferably of insulating material. I j

Mounted upon the front block 13 at its switchf'plate isa bolt 21extending for wardly through said block. The block carend through theopening 20 in the switch plate and mounted upon the outer ends of saidbolts are electrodes 23 housed by the flange 14 andforming a spark gaptherebetween.

pairs of coacting switch fingers 28 similar 'to the fingers 24:1.

Extending through the block 16 is a cirjecting through the block betweensaid bolts is a similar series of squared sleeves 29 pro- 'vided attheir" outer ends'with plates 30 engaged1by thebolts. [Each of the boltsis thus electrically connected with one of the sleeves respectively.Slidable through the plates 13 and 16 are switch rods 31 which, at theirinner end port'ions are squared to fit through the sleves 29,-thesleeves looking the rods against rotation, while at their outer ends,said rods are equipped with buttons 32. Extending from the rods areswitch arms 33 each engageablebetween a pair of the switch fingers 28respectively upon the plate 26 while, asshown'in dotted lines inFigure2, the rods may be-pulled rearwardly to engage each of said armsbetween a corresponding pair of the switch fingers 24: re

spectively upon the plate 19. As will be observed, I have shown the useof six of the switch rods 31, the present device being designed for usein connection with a six cylinder, engine. However, as will be at Risingfrom the switch plate at circumferentially spaced points thereon arePATENT oeres;

once understood, the device may comprise a greater or lesser number ofrods and associated parts to meet the requirements of different engines.In practice, the device may be mounted upon the dash of a vehicle, asconventionally illustrated at 34, projecting through thedash so that thestop flange 12 of the casing 10 abuts the dash and ex tending throughsaid flange. are appropriate fastening devices securing the indicator inposition.

In conjunction with the indicator, 1 employ a spark plug of thecharacter illustrated in Figure 6, the plug shown being typical. As willbe observed, the plug comprises a shell 35threaded at its lower end forengagement in the usual spark plug orifice of an engine cylinder andextending through the shell is an insulator 36 of. porcelain or otherapproved materialr Surrounding the insulator are gaskets 37 and threadedinto the upper end of the shell to coact with the uppermost ofthesegaskets is a nut 38 removably clamping the insulator upon theshell. Extending throughtheinsulator are electrodes 39 and 40 to theupper ends of which are connected binding posts 41 carried by aninsulating cap 42 upon'the upper end of the insulator. At its lower endthe electrode 39 is provided with a laterally directed portion whileupon the lower end of the electrode 40 is formed a loop through whichthe laterally directed portion ofthe electrode 39 extends to provide aspark gap between the electrodes- As will now be understood, each of thecylinders of the vehicle engine is equipped with one of my improvedplugs. Feed wires are then attached to the binding posts of theelectrodes 39 of the plugs when wires are then arranged to extendbetween the electrodes 40 of the plugs and the several'bolts 28 oftheindicator, these latter wires being indicated in Figure 2, at 43.Connected at one end to the bolt 22 of the indicator is a wire 44 whichis led through the opening 25 in the plate 16 to a suitable electricalground and connecting one of the securing bolts 27 for the switch plate26 with said wire is a wire 45 so that said switch plate is alsogrounded. Normally, the several switch. rods 31, will occupy theposition shown in Figure 2, so that the switch arms 33 ofsaid rodsengage the switch fingers 28 for closing a circuit for each of the sparkplugs through one of the wires. 43, one of the bolts 28 and one of thesleeves 29 to the ground wire 44. Thus, all of the plugs will normallybe connected with therground wire so that said plugs may function. Totest the plugs, the buttons 32 are grasped and the rods 31 drawnoutwardly one at a time, to engage the switch arms 33 of said rods withthe switch fingers .24. As each of the rods is thus drawn outwardly, thecircuit of one of the plugs respectively will be closed through theplate 19 and electrodes 23 to the bolt 22 r wardly. On the other hand,shouldiany one u of the plugs be short cii'cuited to theeugine,

nospark will appear at the gapv between the electrodes 23 andaccordingly, the faulty plug may be easily located. As will beperceived, I providea device wherein the plugs of the vehicle engine maybe easily tested without stopping the vehicle and under 'workingconditions of the engine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: f

1. A spark indicator. including. spaced blocks, a switch plate carriedby each of said blocks, coacting electrodes upon one of" the blocksforming a spark gapin circuit with one of said plates,,and a switch rodslidable upon the blocks to selectively coact with the plates.

. 2.-A spark indicator including spaced blocks, a switch plate carriedby each of said blocks, a sleeve upon one of the blocks,

and a switch rod slidable through said sleeve 7 to selectively coactwith said plates,.the rod being in circuit with the sleeve. 7 V

3. A spark indicator including I spaced blocks, a switch platecarried byeachof said blocks, a terminal upon one of the V blocks, a sleevesecured by said-terminal in circuit therewith and a switch rodsl'idablethrough the sleeve to selectively coact with said plates.

4. A. spark indicator including spaced. 7

blocks, a switch plate carried by each of said blocks, a terminal uponone of the blocks, a sleeve extending through said block and provided atone end with a plate engaged by said terminal securing the sleeve uponthe block, the sleeve being in circuit with the terminal, and a switchrod slidable through said sleeve to selectively coact with the switchplates.

5. A spark indicator including spaced blocks one provided at the frontfacethereof with a forwardly directed flange, coacting electrodesmounted upon said block to provide a spark gap therebetween and housedby said flange, switch plates upon the blocks. at the inner facesthereof one said plate being in circuit with said electrodes,

and a switch rod slidable through the blocks to selectively coact withsaid plates.

6. A spark indicator including a casing, spaced blocks removably fittingtherein from one end of the casing, a' spacer be-- tween the blocks,means connecting one'of said blocks with the casing securing both blocksagainst displacement, and switch mechanism associated with said blocks.

7. A spark indicator including a casing provided at one end with anannular end wall, spaced blocks mounted in the casing, one of saidblocks abutting said end wall and being provided with an annular flangeprojecting through the end wall, coacting electrodes upon said blockshoused by said flange, switch plates upon the blocks one in circuit withsaid electrodes, and a switch rod slidable upon the blocks toselectively H' coact with said plates.

8. A spark indicator including a casing open at one end and provided atits opposite end with an annular end wall, spaced blocks mounted in thecasing closing the ends thereof, one of said blocks abutting said endwall, a spacer between the blocks, means connecting the other of saidblocks with the casing [securing both blocks against displacement, andswitch mechanism associated with the blocks.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

